10 Inch Table Saw Blade Choices

Wow - aluminum on a radial arm saw! At the age of 10 I was using a radial arm saw on wood, and reflecting on that I don't know why I have any fingers. The thought of climb-cutting aluminum on radial arm saw makes me pucker!
 
John
First rule of radial arm sawing, fingers are NOWHERE near the blade area. When cutting aluminum or brass the stock is clamped firmly onto the table
and pressed firmly against the back stop. I first lower the blade so that it just clears the top of the piece to be cut, and starting with the blade pulled to
the front of the saw lower the blade for a first small cut of around .060" no hands are anywhere near the part or touching the table. Turn on the saw and
slowly move the blade across the top surface of the material by pushing the saw towards the rear of the saw until I have fully passed over the part being cut.
I then pull the saw back to the front of the table and repeat the process of lowering the blade, usually in 1/8 to 3/16 increments. If there is any sign of resistance
or binding back the blade back out and reduce the cut depth and start at the cut over again. Note, the only body part touching the saw is the hand on the saws
handle, well away from any blade. I've made cut as light as a couple of thousandths of an inch to upwards of a quarter of an inch. With this blade, aluminum
and brass cut like butter. I feel a lot safer than when working around a lathe chuck thats for sure. This blade has lasted far longer than I ever would have
expected, a couple of years of fairly light use, and is still plenty sharp to cut plywood.

Chuck the grumpy old guy
 
As long as you use quality Carbide blades designed for chop saws and radial arm saws you will probably be fine cutting most non ferrous materials. These blades have a very low or negative rake angle on the teeth so they won't grab and pull into the material. This also keeps the teeth from being "pulled off" the blade at the brazed joint under high stress.I've cut lots of aluminum with these blades and never had a problem. Interesting in that I've had more problem cutting thinner aluminum sheet (.040- .120) because of the vibration that is created by the cutting action.
Standard rake angle blades like those used on table saws will pull into the material aggressively, which is what they are designed to do in wood so they will shear the fibers and then shed the chips. You need a much less aggressive action with non ferrous metals (and the new chop saws we use at work to cut steel conduit and other light metal ).

Bob
 
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